Kodaikanal lake will be beautified: Jayalaithaa

Chennai, Aug 27: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Wednesday announced beautification of Kodaikanal lake, a popular tourist attraction in Tamil Nadu at a cost of Rs.87.96 crore besides measures to augment basic amenities in Kumbakonam and Karur.

"Kodaikanal lake will be beautified to attract tourists and works including desilting and removal of water hyacinth, setting up storm water drain and solid waste management measures will be implemented," Jayalalithaa said in a statement.

Also, boat houses will be beautified and regulated and the lake beautification will be taken up at a cost of Rs.87.96 Crore, she added. In the temple town of Kumbakonam, in view of the upcoming Maha Maham festival in 2016, infrastructure development works will be taken up at a cost of Rs.43.78 crore.

This includes Solid Waste Management plan at a cost of Rs.11.17 Crore and drinking water works at a cost of Rs.2.44 Crore. Street lights will be set up at a cost of Rs.5.40 crore and canals will be desilted at Rs 1.75 Crore.

Also, road works will be executed at a cost of Rs.10.76 Crore and streets in which temple cars are taken in procession will be developed at a cost of Rs.1.58 Crore.

As regards Karur, as part of measures to decongest traffic, two subways will be constructed at a cost of Rs.3.69 Crore each on the Kulathupalayam-Erode-Karur and Karur-Tiruchi-Dindigul railroad sections through the Southern Railway.

Approach roads to the subways will be laid at a total cost of Rs.5.82 Crore, she said.

PTI